The global recession and workplace malfeasance Essay

The global recession and workplace malfeasance - Essay Example nnot influence those with the opportunities to malfeasance in workplace as they are trying to maintain their jobs to reduce the impact of the global recession. Though there are media reports that there has been malfeasance in workplace, it has no clear evidence that the malfeasance is because of the economic downturns and company layoffs. The Times of London for example reports that job losses in the United States is directly linked to 58 fatalities of which 13 people were killed by a Vietnamese man who was later fired from his factory job; this does not prove it was because of the recession just because the crime was committed during that recession (35). The case proves that we can learn nothing from the business press; this is because the press does not present accurate information to the public but reports opposite of the real situations. A poll conducted among 400 employers asking whether recession has brought a recent rise in monetary theft among employees such as missing cash or fraudulent transaction showed that 18% said yes, 41% were unsure, and 41% said they had not. The poll results indicates that a small percentage of employers thought the employee theft is caused by the recession, but the business press reports that â€Å"Business Say Theft by Their Workers Is Up,† which is a complete opposite of the poll result thus we cannot learn from the business press. Regarding on how to be an informed consumer on business news, difficulty illustrations by OB help in the investigation by asking questions, analyzing situations, and considering the information source. This helps the consumers in critically thinking about problems and careful analysis of the same. Therefore, the chapter provides clues on OB issues that can inform the consumer (35). Individual privacy is violated when measurers, such as fingerprint scanner are put in all cash register to monitor what the employees do. Employees feel that their privacy is violated when every move he or she makes in

Trafficking and Prostitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Trafficking and Prostitution - Essay Example As the report stresses feminist philosophy is a subject which has acquired much attention in the past decades regarding speculative arguments and practical politics. It is us who create and visualize differences, differences based upon characters and differences that emerge as if woman is entitled to a separate class. Despite these differences, feminist philosophers are able to gather and unite woman in a single perspective which in the vision of a philosophical mind is free of the misogyny and male bias that have characterized so much of Western philosophical tradition. Feminist philosophy’s challenge to this tradition has been the challenge of repairing the distortions, centring the marginalization, and valorizing what were once considered the trivial, if not invisible, facets of woman’s nature, woman’s knowledge, and woman’s happiness According to the report findings contemporary feminists believe that unless and until the feminist philosophers are free to attend towards women’s diversity, women will remain stereotyped by the same kinds of restrictive and historical paradigms as those advanced by traditional philosophy. Therefore, many feminist philosophers have not only researched women’s experience but have also advocated the exploration of the complexity and variety of women’s experience. It is through such exploration that women found themselves open to accept learning attitudes in context with their inner voices and morality differentiated by such features as race, class, and sexual preference. Critics say that by possessing such bold opinions, feminist lit hope to avoid the essentialism of claiming some single, immutable, and universal nature of 'Woman'. A 'Prostitute' Class Many feminists perceive prostitution to be among one of the classes in society. Pro-sex work feminist advocates believe that a 'free-sex' choice must be legally provided to the women for 'prostitution' is a profession after all and a woman possesses a right to choice. Feminists say that prostitutes are not only similar to other women in their society; they also possess a right to acquire the same rights as that of a

A Study On Special Events Management Management Essay

A Study On Special Events Management Management Essay This essay is aimed at addressing the aformentioned issue. In order to identify the skills and qualities that are of value to future leaders in special events management, the paper is first going to outline the scope of the profession. Next, the skills and traits that the leaders in special events management are expected to exhibit are going to be named. Then, the practical expectations of the employers in respect of these skills and competencies are going to be compared and contrasted with the theoretical concepts on leadership present in the subject literature. The conclusion is going to aggregate main points of the essay. First of all, it seems necessary to provide the definition of special events in order to establish the basis for greater understanding of what the managers and leaders in the field actually do. Shone and Parry (2004, p.3) define special events as () non-routine occassions, which have leisure, cultural, personal or organisational objectives set apart from the normal activity of daily life, whose purpose is to enlighten, celebrate, entertain, or challenge the experience of a group of people. From such description it is clearly visible, that special events is a capacious term encompassing affairs such as sport fairs, weddings, presentations, fashion shows, award ceremonies and many others. Therefore, the special events management can be most simply described as a process of effective and professional organisation of such happenings, so that their intended effect on the chosen audience is achieved (Getz, 2005). The information obtained from Prospects.ac.uk (2010) suggests that generic special event manager job description can be organised around the following clusters of duties: researching, planning, budgeting, coordinating, utilizing IT software to facilitate the process, marketing, arranging and overseeing the logistics side, people management, evaluating the success of events on completion. The aforementioned list of tasks is by no means exhaustive. As such, it is clearly visible that the position of the leader in the special events management industry requires the applicant to master a variety of skills that would be easily transferrible across such a wide spectrum of duties, eventually allowing for accomplishment of the chosen aim of the special event. Therefore, it can be said that excellent organisational aptitude, people management skills, communication skills, marketing abilities, adjustability to the changing environment, and lastly the ability to conceptualise and leadership skills consitute these valued features of the successful leaders in special events management (Perry et al., 1996 in Tassiopoulos, 2005). Moreover, it is justifiable to say that organisational skills and startegic thinking are the key elements to a successful career in special events management (Anderson, 2010). Excellent time management abilities, as well as the capacity to multitask and prioritize are crucial in the hectic environment, where many duties are carried out simultaneuously often under substantial time pressure (Wignall, 2008). Analytical competency and high numeracy are other desired traits (Eventjobsearch.co.uk, 2010a). People management skills constitute a second pillar to a prominent career in the special event management industry (Goldblatt, 2005). As the role of the leader in the field is primarly concerned with people: either through coordinating internal network of contacts or by engaging with external parties such as suppliers, proficiency in delegation of duties and effective supervision is certainly needed. Excellent communication skills are another must have for a special events management leader (Eventjobsearch.co.uk, 2010b). Ongoing exchange of information between the customer and the leader, or between the leader and other parties requires skillfullness in oral and written communication to ensure that leaders vision is announced in a coherent manner. Furthermore, the tactfulness in interpersonal contact as well as the capability to listen and recept followed by the negotiation and presentation skills are truly desirable (Worldevents, 2010). The special event industry is believed to be more about whom than what one knows, thus fostering for the communication skills seems exteremely relevant. Flexibility and open-mindedness are also certainly needed (INCA, 2010). The special event management is a constantly changing process requiring ongoing re-prioritizing and finding solutions to the problems arising on the spot. Thus, adaptability to the dynamic environment and the ability to utilize ones creativity and think outside the box is of utmost importance. Marketing edge is another sought-after ability (Goldblatt, 2005). As many events are developed with the profit-generating idea in mind, or require sponsor-/ funding- seeking it is necessary for the leaders to master the knowledge of marketing that will allow them to sell the event to potential parties. Last, but not least the future leaders in special events management industry need to possess the ability to infect the followers with enthusiasm and excitement about the project, in other words depict the charismatic persona (Wignall, 2008). Such capacities are extremely important, as they enhance staffs commitment and motivation to push towards common goal, therefore are essential for facilitation of the process and task accomplishment. Self-confidence and assertiveness are also of value (Wignall, 2008), as they allow the leader to gain credibility in the followers eyes, thus legitimizing the actions taken by him/her. Having identified the skills and aptitudes that are deemed of value to future leaders in special events management, it seems worthwhile to establish whether such choice of requirements is supported by the postulates of the theoretical developments in the leadership literature. Thus, this part of the essay is dedicated to comparing and contrasting the practice with chosen theoretical approaches to leadership: the traits approach, skills approach and contingency leadership concept. The traits theory originates from mid-20th century studies into the personalities of effective leaders in order to correlate their characteristics with successful leadership practices to produce a universally applicable set of must have attributes (Sadler, 2003). Subsequent reviews of the original studies however dismissed the postulate of unidirectional relationship between identified traits and successful leadership, further disregarding the possibility of producing a consistent set of traits typical for all leaders (Jago, 1982). Stogdill (1974, in Daft 2002) proposed an extensive list of attributes of successful leaders, further concluding that possession of the identified traits alone does not guarantee effectiveness in leadership, but is a function of those and contextual factors. Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) describe the traits as potential only that needs to be activated by the leaders affirmative action in order for the leadership practice to be successful. Nevertheless, the main postulate of the traits approach that leaders do differ from other people in their personalities remains valid, therefore reassuring the application of the theory to business setting. Daft (2002) aggregating conclusions of Bass and Stogdills (1990, in Daft, 2002) and Kirkpatrick and Lockes (1991) studies identifies a set of personal characteristics of leaders that are believed to trigger effective practice. The author notes the importance of drive and desire to excel, motivation, honesty and integrity, self assurance, cognitive capacity and intelligence, knowledge of the industry, as well as to less extent charisma, flexibility and open-mindedness, enthusiasm and sociability as the activators of successful leadership. Looking at the proposed list it is easy to notice the convergence between the traits identified as necessary by the researchers and those previously described as of value to the future leaders in special events management. Nevertheless, it seems that the traits that are denied equal attention in ordinary business setting, i.e. flexibility, creativity and enthusiasm, in special events management find stronger appreciation. Furthermore, the traits theory fails to appreciate the importance of personal growth occurring throughout ones carrier thus denying the future leaders the option to develop the identified traits; what is more disregarding the importance of contextual factors. The unique nature of special events allows the leaders to gain experience through direct participation in the production process of every single event, as well as emphasizes the need to adapt to changing settings, therefore pointing out the weaknesses of the application of traits approach to the purpose of validating such choice of required traits and skills. The skills or otherwise known as capability approach seems to overcome the first of aforementioned drawbacks by focusing on the competencies rather than personal attributes that leaders ought to possess to deliver the appropriate performance (Northouse, 2004). The model sees leadership as concerned with solving problems arising in everyday organisational setting (Mumford et al., 2000a). The skills approach postulates that leaders performance is generated via utilization of three types of skills: problem-solving skills, solution generation skills, as well as social judgement skills subject to development throughout ones career under the influence of the individual attributes such as motivation and personality and the environmental context (Mumford et al., 2000b). Unlike traits theory this model appreciates that leadership potential that can be transformed into effective practice rests within everyone (Northouse, 2004). The skills model successfully provides explanation for the choice of some of the competencies deemed of value to potential leaders in special events management, emphasising the importance of motivation and enthusiasm, as well as people-oriented skills. However, similarly to the traits theory this concept presents some limitations in its applicability. Leadership in special events management requires exceptional organisation and strategic thinking abilities, which are denied sufficient importance by the skills model that sees the leaders as facilitators of quick solutions to arising problems rather than visionaries. Furthermore, the applicability of the model is believed to be limited by the specificity of the research setting (i.e. US army) (Northouse, 2004). The last model to be analysed against the practical requirements of future leaders in special events management is the contingency concept originally devised by Fiedler (1969, in Sadler, 2003). According to this theory the effectiveness of leadership practice depends on (i.e. is contingent on) three aspects of the situation in which it takes place: the nature of the leader-followers relationship (the loyalty, trust etc), the nature of the tasks (degree of clear indication of requirements) and the position power of the leader (i.e. authority available to the leader) (Sadler, 2003). Depending on the combination of the aforementioned variables the leader is believed to adopt a relationship-motivated or task-motivated behaviour that allows for either accomplishment of set goals or fostering for growth in interpersonal relationships (Torrington et al., 2005). However, this approach is also said to entice some limitations mainly concerned with the validity of the research methods in use an d the suitability of the concept in explaining actions to be taken in the event of a clash between the contextual factors and leaders personality (Northouse, 2004). Nevertheless, from the proposed description it is visible that the contingency model of leadership is highly relevant to special events management setting. By pointing at contingency of leadership on the context it provides the explanation for the large variety of transferable skills expected of the applicants in special events management: every event can be seen as a unique project, thus concerned with different people and contextual factors, therefore requiring distinct leadership practice. Furthermore, this approach overcomes the shortcomings of the previously discussed concepts by emphasizing the importance of the holistic appreciation of environmental context for the choice of most effective leadership practice and the need for the leader to flexibly adapt to the followers requirements, thus accentuating the leader-follower relationship as the core of the leadership concept (Northouse, 2004). To conclude, the conducted analysis of the practical requirements against the traits, skills and contingency theory reveals that despite identified limitations, the theoretical concepts on leadership originating from research in general business setting provide adequate rationale for emphasis placed on the problem-solving and people-management skills; as well as traits such as enthusiasm, charisma and creativity visible in the job advertisements for positions in special events management. Nevertheless, taking into consideration the total array of the practical requirements, it can be said that indeed, leadership in special events management is organised around a distinct combination of skills and traits that find complete explanation in the characteristics of the profession, rather than theoretical concepts.

Evaluation of Estella from Great Expectations Essay -- Great Expectatio

Evaluation of Estella from Great Expectations. Evaluation of Estella "The lady whom I had never seen before, lifted up her eyes and looked archly at me, and then I saw that the eyes were Estella's eyes." From this passage, I believe it is safe to infer that Pip notices a great change in Estella's appearance and the way she carries herself, once she comes back from finishing school, but is there really that much of a change in the rest of her? Although she may change her methods, she's still unemotional, she still takes orders from Miss Havisham, and she still leads Pip on. Speaking of leading Pip on, Estella leads Pip on. When Pip is at Miss Havisham's for the second time, Estella acts as if she likes Pip and does something very unlike herself. "There was a bright flush upon her face... she stepped back into the passage and beckoned me. 'Come here! You may kiss me if you like! I kissed her cheek as she turned it to me. I think I would have gone through a great deal to kiss her cheek. But, I felt that the kiss was given to the coarse common boy as a piece of money might have been, and that was worth nothing." (Page 93, paragraphs 2-4) As you can see Estella is definitely leading Pip on. Estella also leads Pip on in the second half of the book. She goes with Pip to balls and other parties. She also goes down to Miss Havisham's with him, but these things have no meaning.] As I just mentioned Pip and Estella go down to Miss Havisham's together. This is because; although she is grown-up Estella is still controlled by Miss H. What I'm saying is that Miss H makes them go (well not so much Pip; he just comes along for the ride). She also controls Estella in other ways. She makes her write notes ho... ...the book, but I've got more proof from the second half. At this part Pip tries to compliment Estella and she laughs right in his face. "'I live quite pleasantly there; at least-'It appeared to me that I was losing a chance. 'At least?' repeated Estella. 'As pleasantly as I could anywhere away from you.' 'You silly boy,' said Estella, quite composedly, 'how can you talk such nonsense?'" (Page 226, paragraphs 8-11) Hey, I don't know about anyone else, but I think that was pretty mean (although it wasn't the same kind of meanness that was in the first part). That's exactly what my paper's on. I think I've just proved that Estella is the same person throughout the whole book, but the kind of person she is changes (whether she's leading Pip on, being controlled by Miss Havisham, or being her mean ol' self). If I have then my mission was successful. Evaluation of Estella from Great Expectations Essay -- Great Expectatio Evaluation of Estella from Great Expectations. Evaluation of Estella "The lady whom I had never seen before, lifted up her eyes and looked archly at me, and then I saw that the eyes were Estella's eyes." From this passage, I believe it is safe to infer that Pip notices a great change in Estella's appearance and the way she carries herself, once she comes back from finishing school, but is there really that much of a change in the rest of her? Although she may change her methods, she's still unemotional, she still takes orders from Miss Havisham, and she still leads Pip on. Speaking of leading Pip on, Estella leads Pip on. When Pip is at Miss Havisham's for the second time, Estella acts as if she likes Pip and does something very unlike herself. "There was a bright flush upon her face... she stepped back into the passage and beckoned me. 'Come here! You may kiss me if you like! I kissed her cheek as she turned it to me. I think I would have gone through a great deal to kiss her cheek. But, I felt that the kiss was given to the coarse common boy as a piece of money might have been, and that was worth nothing." (Page 93, paragraphs 2-4) As you can see Estella is definitely leading Pip on. Estella also leads Pip on in the second half of the book. She goes with Pip to balls and other parties. She also goes down to Miss Havisham's with him, but these things have no meaning.] As I just mentioned Pip and Estella go down to Miss Havisham's together. This is because; although she is grown-up Estella is still controlled by Miss H. What I'm saying is that Miss H makes them go (well not so much Pip; he just comes along for the ride). She also controls Estella in other ways. She makes her write notes ho... ...the book, but I've got more proof from the second half. At this part Pip tries to compliment Estella and she laughs right in his face. "'I live quite pleasantly there; at least-'It appeared to me that I was losing a chance. 'At least?' repeated Estella. 'As pleasantly as I could anywhere away from you.' 'You silly boy,' said Estella, quite composedly, 'how can you talk such nonsense?'" (Page 226, paragraphs 8-11) Hey, I don't know about anyone else, but I think that was pretty mean (although it wasn't the same kind of meanness that was in the first part). That's exactly what my paper's on. I think I've just proved that Estella is the same person throughout the whole book, but the kind of person she is changes (whether she's leading Pip on, being controlled by Miss Havisham, or being her mean ol' self). If I have then my mission was successful.

Assess the significance of Henry Ford in shaping modern America

Out of all the people associated with the American boom, Henry Ford is amongst the most well known. It was due to his work ethic; aim to make an affordable car for all Americans, and his invention of the assembly line that improved America's infrastructure and made personal mobility easier and more affordable. In this essay, I will explore the changes that occurred in America due to Henry Ford, and weigh up their significance to modern America today. I will compare modern America with America in the 1920's and will look at the significance of Henry ford in the changes between them. Henry Ford wanted to make a car that was cheap enough for all American families to afford. Although this was a near impossible dream, it did result in Henry Ford trying to reduce the cost of cars, and therefore ending up with the idea for the ‘Model T'. A great fan of ‘Taylorism', Ford wanted to make the production of his cars faster and more efficient. Workers were timed and they were then given tasks that required less time and effort in order to speed up the process of making the ‘Model T'. Taylor's ideas and Fords aim (to make a car cheap enough for average Americans to buy) eventually amounted in the birth of the assembly line. This meant that instead of the workers in the Ford factory going to each car, and spending lots of time making the parts of the cars, then attaching them, the cars were brought past the workers. The workers towards the beginning of the assembly line may do a job such as attach the spokes of the wheel to the main frame, and then a worker near the end of the line would attach the fully completed wheel to the body of the car. The assembly line meant that more and more cars were being produced every day, and at the factories best, they were producing a car every 60 seconds. The mass production of the ‘Model T' sparked the idea of using assembly lines in many other industries, and many other companies began to emulate Fords idea. Mass production of radios, clothes and refrigerators began, and this therefore resulted in the increase of advertising. America in the 1920's had very little advertising, but as household products began to be mass produced, there was a need for advertising as the companies needed to reach their target audiences. This relates to the booming advertising industry that now advertises nearly every product on the market in America. Without the idea of an assembly line, mass production wouldn't have come about, and there would have been no need for advertising. This is one significant affect Ford had on America. Because the ‘Model T' was being mass produced, the price of it went down – in 1914 a ‘Model T' cost $850 whereas in 1926 they cost $295. This meant that more people could afford one, and more people began to purchase them. Because of the increasing sales of the ‘Model T', ford was getting more money. This was useful, as in order to stop workers leaving the factories to work elsewhere (due to their repetitive and tedious jobs on the assembly line) he could increase their wages. Ford increased his workers wages from $2. 50 to $5, twice the average pay per day. This also created a ready market for the ‘Model T' car, as workers were offered the chance to save their extra money in order to buy a car. Because Ford increased his workers wages, he brought up the average wage for workers in America, which meant more people had more disposable income, creating a market for buying cars. It also meant more people could afford to buy more in general, especially as they could buy with credit as well. This meant that people were spending their extra money, and in some cases (because they used credit) money they hadn't got, which meant the American economy was booming with the extra amount of money being spent on goods within the country. The increase in the workers wage, and the ease at which people were allowed to use credit to buy goods, meant that more and more people were buying cars. In 1930, 23million cars were on the road, and half of them were ‘Model T's'. This shows just how popular the cars were, and how many people were buying them. The increased number of cars on the road also meant that the government had to build more roads for people to travel on. This meant that Americas infrastructure dramatically improved, with links from major cities being built for cars to travel along, which improved connections between cities, and meant that American citizens could explore their own country without having to rely on public transport. This is true to this day, as 1 out of 6 Americans have never left their own country. Ford contributed to this, as the impact of so many people having cars meant that people could go on holidays around their own country more often. This meant, and still means, that fewer people feel the need to travel outside of America. It also meant that the leisure industries began to flourish, as more people had the time to enjoy leisure activities, and due to the rise in average wage, they had more money to spend on leisure activities too. The increasing number of car owners also meant that more people could choose where they wanted to live, as they now didn't have to live near their work. Instead, they could live further from the cities and travel in each day in their cars. This resulted in the growth of suburbs, which are today some of the most desirable places to live in America. They offer the space that people wanted/still want, without being to far away from the cities where people generally worked/work. It is due to the mass production of cars, which was started by Ford, which led to people being able to commute to their work places. In conclusion, Ford was an important figure in shaping modern day America. The mass production of cars, which originated from his business idea of the assembly line, meant that more people were able to afford a car. This meant that more roads had to be built around America, linking major cities, and improving communications. The car also meant that people could carry out daily tasks, such as shopping, with more efficiency, and because they were able to buy larger things, or produce in bulk, they spent more money which went into America's economy. Because businesses emulated Fords idea of an assembly line, mass production of goods such as the radio came about. This meant more advertising, and so the advertising industry was born. Ford's aim of making an affordable car for average American citizens meant that more people lived away from work, hence the growth of suburbs which are now spread across America, and are seen as desirable places to live. Ford had a lot of significance in shaping modern America, as his ideas and business ethic meant that cars became a necessity. Americans could live and travel wherever they wanted in the country. Because so many people were buying cars due to the ‘Model T', roads had to be improved, and the infrastructure of America grew and vastly improved. Workers were paid more on average due to Ford raising his workers salaries, and due to the increase in disposable income and credit, more money was constantly being paid into the economy.

Globalizare

I live in a country with a relatively young democracy. I experienced times when freedom of speech was prohibited and the access to information was strictly forbidden. And now I live in great times when bounds can be formed without the limits placed on humanity by the authorities, religion or race. The freedom that Internet gives us is wonderful, we can change Ideas, share information, enjoy art.Now, the access to information means power and I would like to give an example of n event that took place in Romania and which the International press named It â€Å"Romania autumn†. Thousands of people all over the country, with no leaders and organized mainly on social networks, protested against the open cast milling project that would use cyanide and destroy four mountains In the area, project that Is proposed by a foreign company In partnership with our country government.For this course project, I used an Image that represent one of the most valuable resource the earth has  œ gold, an Image that represents a great work of art – â€Å"the table of silence† made by the great Romania sculptor constantly Branches and an Image that represents a masterpiece of late Stone Age art, The Thinker, believed to be the oldest known prehistoric sculpture that reflects human introspection. We, the viewers, must reflect about the true values in our lives.We must think about the proverbial â€Å"Golden handcuffs† and about the possibility that there may be a truth behind this concept that can be easily translated in to a money language. The viewers must realize the huge responsibility that we humans have in order to preserve the natural resources for future generations, to live in harmony with all the species that inhabits the earth and, most important, to find a common language with nature because, like it or not, globalization affects the entire planet, sadly, not always in good ways. Internet gives us is wonderful, we can change ideas, share info rmation, enjoy art. N event that took place in Romania and which the international press named it organized mainly on social networks, protested against the open cast mining project that would use cyanide and destroy four mountains in the area, project that is proposed by a foreign company in partnership with our country government. For this course project, I used an image that represent one of the most valuable resource the earth has – gold, an image that represents a great work of art – â€Å"the table of silence† made by the great Romania sculptor Constantine Branches and an image that

Bringing Democracy to Africa

Bringing Democracy to Africa Free Online Research Papers Does Africa need elective, majority democracy or some other method of government? Maybe what Africa needs is a different method of government instead of modern democracy. History and the statistics seem to favour this view, and it is the aim of this article to explore it.Obviously there are various forms of democracies and numerous other methods of governance which nations can choose to model themselves around. I have this feeling that constitutional democracy achieved by majority vote maybe somewhat flawed for the African continent, as indeed it is not universally embraced outside Western Civilization. Africa found itself adopting models of government of former masters by default, without regard to how they ruled themselves previously. Someone I highly respect first suggested this notion to me and of course I naturally scoffed at it, dismissing it out of hand. On close inspection of trends within the African continent and disasters that countries there have encountered as they strived to institute democracy along the Western model really got me thinking, and researching. Historically, Africans have always had kingdoms, which kingdoms were successful and whose subjects were always proud of their king. The king either died in office or was overthrown. Kings were kings for as long as they could subdue all would be conquerors. The closest form of government to African culture was therefore Aristocracy, Meritocracy or Monarchism. Think about it for a moment, I will give you examples in Southern Africa with which I am familiar. Take Shaka the Zulu, and other Zulu kings before him in the Zulu Kingdom. He won his leadership by proving his ability to lead and by conquest. He could only step down by conquest or death. Can you imagine him giving up his leadership to someone else simply because ten, twelve or fourteen years making up his two terms were up? There were other empires in Southern Africa, like the Munhumutapa Empire. The Mambos (kings) successfully ran their kingdom which covered large parts of many countries in Southern Africa to the Mozambiquean C oast for several years, only to be dislodged largely by the coming of the Colonialists. The Swazi Kingdom is another example, the vestiges of which remain to this day. I believe this was replicated across the African continent beyond Southern Africa. I obviously advocate for progressiveness and civilisation and am by no means implying Africa should have remained in that state where rulership was purely by conquest, but the argument is that there are other forms of government which might have been more suited to our African background than democracy along Western Standards; where an adored and respected leader could lead for as long as he was able, where he could appoint successors to his rulership. The idea of constitutional democracy and multi-partism, in my humble submission, has more managed to destabilise the African continent than do anything else. There could then be a mixture of, say Monarchism and some form of managed democracy, for example that you find in the British Empire or in many Islamic Countries. Another aspect of African kingdoms which we threw away with constitutional democracy was the Theocratic inclination of the Kingdoms. The Kings was often a Spiritual leader as well, or worked closely with Spiritual leaders. In effect, the King was obliged to be a moral leader, which requirement present day leaders gleefully trample upon. In the end, what has happened is that a lot of African leaders have clung on to power, but have been largely demonised not really because of failure alone, but because in the first place, they were expected to have vacated office earlier. In many instances, those that felt the leaders had overstayed, particularly from the West, created conditions where their positions were not tenable anymore. Obviously former colonialists had vested interests to protect, apart from governance, which is why they have encouraged anarchy in other former colonies where it suited them, for example in the DRC. So despite the gospel of Constitutional democracy being preached to Africa, there is an interesting pattern of long-serving African leaders, turning their countries into de-facto Monarchs. Name them(and years in power!): Omar Bongo (41), Muammar Gaddafi(39), Gnassingbe Eyadema (38), Eduardo Dos Santos (28), Robert Mugabe(28), Hosni Mubarak (27), Yoweri Museveni(22), Paul Biya(25), Denis Sassou Nguesso(20), Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali (21),King Makhosetive Mswati (21), Lansana Conte(20), Milton Obote(15), Idi Amin, Kibaki, Nunjoma etc. An affinity for power characterise these leaders, using any and all at their disposal to remain in power. Consequently they have been labelled dictators, but would that perception have been different if they were doing this under a different governance model. Just lets take one extreme and notorious example of Robert Mugabe. For those in the know, you will agree with me that RG did not start as a despot. He was loved by his people, envied by his foes and admired by those that beheld. Why, the queen of England is said to have given him the highest order of the British Empire, he is Sir Robert Gabriel Mugabe! In his early rule education, medical and many critical aspects of social welfare were accessible to the ordinary people. Zimbabwe is highly literate today because of his policy of Education for All. The catastrophic developments in Zimbabwe that have really led it down the precipice were largely done by RG to gain political mileage, because his rule was threatened. Right from gra nting of unreasonable War Veterans pensions, parcelling out land in an unplanned manner etc, was all mostly done to gain political high ground. My question is, would it have been different if he had not been under this pressure and knew he would rule or occupy a position of respect no matter what he did or did not do? On the other side, only Nyerere, Mandela, Chissano and a few others are exceptions to the rule in that they have stepped down graciously without manipulating their Countries’ constitutions etc to remain in power, handing over power or losing graciously; but they are by far in the minority. The writer hence concludes that this cannot be coincidence: democracy is foreign to African states and another form of governance must be found, otherwise we will always be going backwards and forwards in our quest for stability, development and progress. The recent developments in Kenya show the fragility of our democracies even when they ‘exist’. Research Papers on Bringing Democracy to AfricaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoPETSTEL analysis of IndiaHip-Hop is ArtQuebec and CanadaBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XThe Effects of Illegal Immigration

Colombia essays

Colombia essays Colombia es unos de los paà ­ses ms interesantes en Latinoamrica. La historia de Colombia puede ser dividido por tres pocas importantes: inmediatamente despus de la independencia, durante de la crisis mundial, y en la actualidad. Por toda su historia, Colombia ha sido formado y influido por tres aspectos importantes: la economà ­a, la polà ­tica, y la sociedad. La poca de su independencia era una poca muy importante y susceptible para Colombia, como es para cualquier paà ­s. Colombia gan su independencia de Espan en Espan del comercio internacional, la agricultura y la minerà ­a no eran muy prosperas. Tambin, el comercio fue limitado a un grupo peques, la industria de bancos fue insuficiente para cumplir las demandas de la gente. A pesar de la necesidad para cambios, Colombia guard esclavitud, impuestos altos, y el gobierno tenia un monopolio en tabaco y alcohol. Este gobierno despus de la independencia fue dividido entre dos grupos de criollos en oposicin. Uno fue los consejos provinciales que querà ­an un gobierno federal como lo en los EEUU. Ellos, con su là ­der Torres, seguà ­an las ideas de la Ilustracin y eran muy liberales. El otro grupo, los consejos en Bogot con su là ­der Nari una constitucin que dividi la tierra por provinciales y se llamaron Nueva Granada. Co ...

Analysis Of Jane Eyre English Literature Essay

Analysis Of Jane Eyre English Literature Essay 3. Themes and/or purpose of work: Throughout her life, Jane meets three different models of organized religion that she initially rejects, but eventually uses as foundation for her own personal doctrine of faith. Helen Burns exemplifies an all forgiving, tolerant, and benevolent Christianity that is too docile, submissive and fruitless for Jane’s natural temperament. Jane watches Helen suffer a cruel life and die all whilst being a quiet and obedient Christian, and determines her meekness was ultimately useless. Mr. Brocklehurst’s represents the hypocrisy of religion; he preaches the Christian values of poverty and humility while he unjustly deprives and punishes the students of Lowood and enjoys a luxurious lifestyle with his family. St. John represents a Christianity of martyrdom and strictly practices sacrifice and righteousness at the expense of his compassion and human emotion, and is described as â€Å"inexorable as death.† Jane denounces this model of rel igion as too cold and detached, and lacking the love she desires. In addition to Religion, passion (fire) vs. reason (ice) is another prevalent theme Bronte sprinkles throughout the novel. Fire is illustrated as passionate, warm, but sometimes dangerous, while in contrast ice is represented as detached, unfeeling, and metallic. Bronte stresses this contrast by attributing the motifs to certain characters. Particularly cruel, heartless or detached characters, such as Eliza Reed, St. John, and Mrs. Reed are associated with â€Å"ice.† Passionate, warm, benevolent and loving characters such as Helen, Jane’s cousins, Miss Temple, Georgiana Reed, and Mr. Rochester, are associated with â€Å"fire†. Bronte reveals her personal preference for fire over ice in showing the reader that although both are destructive elements, Fire’s destruction can be positive. For example, Bertha’s setting fire to Mr. Rochesters bed facilitates the intimacy between him and Ja ne. Her setting fire to and destroying of Thornfield Manner leads to her death, and frees Rochester from his painful past. Despite the fact the second fire was destructive in that it blinds Rochester, it allows Jane to realize his new dependence on her and overlook her past concerns about the inequality of their potential the union. Bronte does not directly say that the characters associated with ice are completely cold, unfeeling, and undesirable; however, she emphasizes the importance of â€Å"fiery† passion and love as the way to personal happiness. 4. Characters (major and minor): Jane Eyre: The narrator and protagonist of Jane Eyre. Jane begins the novel an impassioned and confused orphan but gradually develops into a sensitive, maternal, and independent young woman. Jane’s self-esteem, sense of self, and character as whole is formed in path through various worlds: Lowood, Thornfield, and particularly Moor House. Jane serves as a heroine to which everyone can rela te; she embodies the desire for love, the emotional conflict between passion and reason, the search for independence, and the demand for justice that every individual seeks. Edward Rochester: The master of Thornfield Manor, where Jane taught as governess. Mr. Rochester embodies and encourages the passionate side of Jane, as well as offers a contrast to her reason. Mr. Rochester is also particularly important to Jane because he provides her with the unconditional love and sense of family that she searches for throughout the novel.

The Relationship Between Women in Various Dimensions Research Paper

The Relationship Between Women in Various Dimensions - Research Paper Example The European community had a different perception of feminism besides advocating equal rights granted to men. The Europeans definition of feminism expressed â€Å"womanliness† that exhibited sexual diversity. With that regard, the feminist critiqued social structures and institutions for failing to provide opportunities for women with respect to their gender status. In this aspect, the goal of feminist does not focus on promoting rights and privileges granted to men but to have institutions and social structures that are inclusive of women. For example, they are supporting state subsidies of all mothers. Definition of feminism takes into consideration the roles of women in society. Every society has specific roles for men or women. The advocate of â€Å"relational feminism† demanded the freedom of women to participate in all professions and be freed from the confines of the households. Therefore, feminism focuses on the privileges of women to take part in voting, having rights, etc. It supports the establishment of social structures and institutions that can promote women to be more self-reliant, and they are competing for the same ranks with men in all aspects of life. The other aspect the definition of feminism takes into consideration is how women should or should not be considered or treated thus it establishes an ideology of fairness or morality. It sets standards of justice that defines how women should be viewed and treated in society. Feminism focus on promoting peace between men and women and advocates respects for women and abolishment of the oppressive culture such as women beating.

Financial Report and Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Report and Analysis - Research Paper Example In 2012, it was ranked as the 2nd largest firm in terms of number of employees around which are around 435,000 globally, the 4th biggest firm in terms of market capitalization, the 9th most profitable company and the 19th in the list of highest revenue generating business. It has 12 laboratories and the company has on its credit record for creating the most patents for the consecutive 20 years. Overall industry sales are increasing globally since 2013. In the current year 2013-2014 sales are expected to increase by 6.5% and in the next year growth are expected to reach 7.5%. The expected growth rate is higher than the growth rate in the last two years that are 5.5% in 2012 and 0.4% in 2011. The impact of these expectations will definitely have positive impacts on the company in terms of growth in sales revenue and high profits as well as healthy cash flows (Stephen, 2013). There is a continuous decline in the sales revenue since last two years. It has gone down by 2% in 2012 and 4.55% in 2013. This decline is in contrast with the industry expectations mentioned above. The chairman of the company in her report to shareholders mentioned the reason for the decline that there in an adverse movement in the currency exchanges because it is operating in more than 170 countries around the world. Especially, there is a sharp decline of 4.2% in the revenue from Global Technology Services and 1olost 19% decline in revenue from Systems and Technology (IBM, 2013). In total, the net profit has declined by $121 millions in 2013 representing fall of 0.73%, but there is a continuous improvement in the net profit ratio since 2011. It has increased from 12.48% to 15.89% in 2012 and 16.52% in 2013. This year to year improvement is due to the effective controls over administrative expense for instance in total they decreased by $51 millions in 2013 as compared to last year, whereas, cost of sales is reasonably consistent as indicated by consistency in the gross profit

Culture, History, and Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Culture, History, and Literature - Essay Example In this novel, Morrison uses his characters to reveal the unsolved contradictions of American racial history as well as the persistent ideologies of slavery that shaped the identity and sense of self among many Americans. The racial formations and the dominant ideology of slavery in the American culture that threatens the society’s founding promise of equal opportunity is well portrayed through the character of Frank. The direction and purpose of Frank’s journey in the novel focuses on the cultural hegemony that is fuelled by the racial subordination and inequality in the society. â€Å"A race is a concept that signifies and symbolizes social conflicts and interests.† (Omi and Winant 118). Since race is seen as an element of social structure and a dimension of human representation, racial formation implies the process of transformation of racism in a period. This racial formation is said to be evolved through a social and cultural hegemony that is organized and represented by the then society. In this sense, it can be analyzed that the society presented by Morrison in her novel Home includes the nature of racism through social prejudices, differences, inequalities, and violent oppression. As evident in the novel, various social conflicts and prejudices within the society implies the existence or formation of race. The American understanding of the ideology of race has changed over the time, affecting the perceptions and experiences of African-Americans. Particularly, after the era of Reconstruction that insisted civic equality and freedom, the American society embraced a new ideological formation of racial subordination, which presented challenges to the racial status quo that existed then. The racial inequalities resulting from the social ideologies are presented in Morrison’s novel, using characterizations,

The Lizard Lick Fine Paper Mill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The Lizard Lick Fine Paper Mill - Essay Example Its prominence can be gauged from the fact that this was the single place where executives wanted to be posted for furthering their career in the group. Â  Similar is the case of George Golden, Plant Manager, who was posted here three years ago, to be groomed for an eminent position in the group headquarters as the career-ending spell. He is known for his hard-driving force and capability of setting high standards in every division and for his ability to lobby in the highest echelons for the benefit of the company. Â  LLF commenced business on D-Day; the day of the Allied invasion of Europe and ever since has been a model of productive competence. It is the sole provider of jobs for seventy-five miles around and the area has seen a transformation since its inception. Until a few years ago it had a daily routine production of high-quality paper of 700 tonnes. The Return on Assets (ROA) was an astounding 32%. It produces fine paper, as distinguished from Kraft paper by its white color, smoothness and fiber content that is used for stationery, photocopying, and printing. It is packed in large rolls of 1000 pounds each and shipped in Box-cars from the adjacent rail-yard. Unfortunately, the production has fallen to 550 tonnes per day and there are complains from 50% of customers on quality. Â  The mill itself consists of various machinery used in the four processes required for producing paper. Starting from Pulping, proceeding to Liquoring and then to the continuous-process machine, the size of ten football fields, to produce huge sheets of paper that are rolled into 1000 pounders at the last stage.

Write a report assessing the feasibility of different techniques for Essay - 1

Write a report assessing the feasibility of different techniques for providing fresh water to arid regions of the world - Essay Example however in a constant water cycle; vapor evaporates from land, it condenses in the air to form clouds, then it rains, the rainwater flows back to the ocean. With the increase in population and industrial growth, the demand for water is increasing day by day. According to Lenton and Muller (2009), around 780 million people do not have access to safe drinking water currently. They further state that 47% of the world’s population will be facing a serious water crisis by the year 2030 if proper measures are not put in place to conserve water. An arid area is defined as a region that is extremely dry and has little or no vegetation (Walton 2000). The main factors that affect aridity are temperature, evaporation rate and rainfall. Walton (2000) further states most arid areas receive less than 250 mm/10 in rainfall per year. This report will explore the various ways in which water can be made accumulated and made available for human use in arid areas. Information will be gathered from various texts and online sources. The report will also recommend the most appropriate method for water provision. According to Viessman and Welty (1985), desalination is a process in which salt and other minerals are removed from water to make it usable. Most desalination plants employ distillation to clean out the salt and mineral components present in water. In some systems, they use electro dialysis. Use of these water purification methods on large quantities of water is expensive therefore this method is used only as the last resort to provide clean water from saline sources. However, due to the growth in technology, a new method was discovered to filter the water. In this method, sea water is heated and forced through membranes that trap the salt and minerals. This method is more efficient than the other two especially if it is located near a power plant that uses water to cool the generating units (Moltgen & Kabat 2010). Around 97% of water found on earth is saline water. By

Culture, History, and Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Culture, History, and Literature - Essay Example In this novel, Morrison uses his characters to reveal the unsolved contradictions of American racial history as well as the persistent ideologies of slavery that shaped the identity and sense of self among many Americans. The racial formations and the dominant ideology of slavery in the American culture that threatens the society’s founding promise of equal opportunity is well portrayed through the character of Frank. The direction and purpose of Frank’s journey in the novel focuses on the cultural hegemony that is fuelled by the racial subordination and inequality in the society. â€Å"A race is a concept that signifies and symbolizes social conflicts and interests.† (Omi and Winant 118). Since race is seen as an element of social structure and a dimension of human representation, racial formation implies the process of transformation of racism in a period. This racial formation is said to be evolved through a social and cultural hegemony that is organized and represented by the then society. In this sense, it can be analyzed that the society presented by Morrison in her novel Home includes the nature of racism through social prejudices, differences, inequalities, and violent oppression. As evident in the novel, various social conflicts and prejudices within the society implies the existence or formation of race. The American understanding of the ideology of race has changed over the time, affecting the perceptions and experiences of African-Americans. Particularly, after the era of Reconstruction that insisted civic equality and freedom, the American society embraced a new ideological formation of racial subordination, which presented challenges to the racial status quo that existed then. The racial inequalities resulting from the social ideologies are presented in Morrison’s novel, using characterizations,

Write a report assessing the feasibility of different techniques for Essay - 1

Write a report assessing the feasibility of different techniques for providing fresh water to arid regions of the world - Essay Example however in a constant water cycle; vapor evaporates from land, it condenses in the air to form clouds, then it rains, the rainwater flows back to the ocean. With the increase in population and industrial growth, the demand for water is increasing day by day. According to Lenton and Muller (2009), around 780 million people do not have access to safe drinking water currently. They further state that 47% of the world’s population will be facing a serious water crisis by the year 2030 if proper measures are not put in place to conserve water. An arid area is defined as a region that is extremely dry and has little or no vegetation (Walton 2000). The main factors that affect aridity are temperature, evaporation rate and rainfall. Walton (2000) further states most arid areas receive less than 250 mm/10 in rainfall per year. This report will explore the various ways in which water can be made accumulated and made available for human use in arid areas. Information will be gathered from various texts and online sources. The report will also recommend the most appropriate method for water provision. According to Viessman and Welty (1985), desalination is a process in which salt and other minerals are removed from water to make it usable. Most desalination plants employ distillation to clean out the salt and mineral components present in water. In some systems, they use electro dialysis. Use of these water purification methods on large quantities of water is expensive therefore this method is used only as the last resort to provide clean water from saline sources. However, due to the growth in technology, a new method was discovered to filter the water. In this method, sea water is heated and forced through membranes that trap the salt and minerals. This method is more efficient than the other two especially if it is located near a power plant that uses water to cool the generating units (Moltgen & Kabat 2010). Around 97% of water found on earth is saline water. By

The House of the Scorpion Essay Example for Free

The House of the Scorpion Essay We all grow up at some point in our lives, but when you are forced to make mature decisions before they have all the necessary skills can make your childhood unpleasant as well as difficult. Matteo Alacran, a boy from the nation of Opium, was not brought into this world like the rest of us he was placed inside the womb of a cow, where he grew, until being cut out. This changed the way many people would look at him in his life. He was a clone to many until his world was turned upside down by â€Å"himself†. Growing up isn’t as easy as it sounds, when most people consider you to be a monster, however those people who see the true inner qualities of a person are the ones we should call friend. Matt was raised in the middle of a poppy field, where he learned basic skills such as reading writing and talking. He was raised by his caregiver Celia; she loved him like he was her own. He left home with the Alacran children, this is where he would be outcast and imprisoned before he could say hello. His only friend was Maria, because she was the only one who would talk to him even if he couldn’t talk back. â€Å"Matt was afraid of Steven and Emilia, but Maria was different. She was his size and didn’t make him feel bad† (32). They would learn each other’s ways and Maria would be the only one to give him essential care to grow. Marias companionship leads to Matt regaining his ability to talk. But not before he meets El Patron, an old man with many secrets. His life is now spent in a wheel chair with two body guards, Tam Lin and Daft Donald, to look after his wellbeing. Tam Lin is now Matt’s companion he takes him on adventures to the far-off land, one of which leading to the discovery of eejits. These are brain implanted, walking zombies so to say, who are programed to have no feelings, show no emotion, and/or work till exhaustion. â€Å"‘The man is dead. Heat or lack of water killed him. The cleanup crews at the end of the day will find him’† (78). Learning about troubles that you will face in the real world is a key part of growing, if you don’t know what’s out there you’re bound to get hurt or even killed.

Classical Theory Pertains To Crime Prevention

Classical Theory Pertains To Crime Prevention The classical school of criminology is a group of thinkers of crime and punishment in the 18th century. The most prominent members, such as Cesare Beccaria, shared the idea that criminal behavior could be understood and controlled. The classical theory insisted that individuals are rational beings who pursue their own interests, trying to maximize their pleasure and minimize their pain. The following manuscript will cover three key concepts the origins of classical thought, popular forerunner of classical thought, Cesare Beccaria, and how the classical theory pertains to crime prevention. Lastly, the educational material will show that crime is caused by natural forces and the absence of effective punishment allows it to continue. With clearly defined laws, public punishment, and the elimination of judicial discretion crime can be prevented by deterrence. Crimes and Punishment: How the Classical Theory Pertains to Crime Prevention Criminology has six theoretical developments in its discipline. This essay will look into the classical school theory. The classical school of criminology has many parts such as the major principles of the classical school, forerunners of classical thought, and policy implications of the classical school. First, I will define classical theory as well as summarize the origins of classical thought. Next, I will explore one of the most popular forerunners of classical thought, Cesare Beccaria. Lastly, I will discuss how the classical theory pertains to crime prevention as well as how deterrence plays apart. Literature Review To properly compose a manuscript on how the classical theory pertains to crime prevention, classical theorist Beccarias work had to be examined. Many of the reforms that occurred in the 18th century can be ascribed to Beccaria (Newman Marongiu, 1990). Beccaria (1983), discussed that the more promptly the punishment follows the crime the more useful it will be. Martin, Mutchnick, and Austin (1990), states that the classical and neoclassical thought represents more a philosophy of justice than it does a theory of crime causation. Cohen and Felson (1979), suggested that lifestyles contribute significantly to both the volume and the type of crime found in any society. Thus, Reed and Yeager (1996), examined Gottfredson and Hirshis theory of crime, with particular respect to its applicability to organizational offending. Moriarty and Williams (1996), discussed the individual choice and a relative disregard for the role of social factors in crime causation, such as poverty, poor home environment, and inadequate socialization. Rational choice theory seems to assume that everyone is equally capable of making a rational decision; however, it depends on the personality of the individual (Tunnell, 1990). In dealing with punishment and how it deters crime it was necessary to look at studies. Although one might expect study results to show that the death penalty deters crime; however, it was found that the rates of murder committed between states that have eliminated the death penalty and those that retain it had little variation (Bailey, 1979). Sitze (2009), discusses how capital punishment presents a problem for the philosophy of law. Also, Sitze expands on Beccaria thought of how the death penalty is bad economy of power. Discussion Classical Theory The classical theory dominated crime theory during the late 1700s and the 1800s. The essential ideas of classical theory include individuals are rational beings who pursue their own interest, trying to maximize their pleasure and minimize their pain. Unless they are deterred by the threat of swift, certain, and appropriately severe punishments, they may commit crimes in their pursuit of self-interest (Martinetal, 1990). Classical theory argues that crime is caused by natural forces or forces of this world, such as the absence of effective punishments. Classical theory was developed in reaction to the harsh, corrupt, and often arbitrary nature of the legal system in the 1700s (Vold et al., 2002). Classical theorists were mainly interested in critiquing this system and offering proposals for its reform, but embedded in their arguments is a theory of criminal behavior. The circumstances of some individuals, then, may lead them to evaluate the potential pains of punishment and pleasures of crime differently than other individuals. Poor people, for example, may be less deterred by the pains of punishment and more attracted by the pleasures of crime (Beccaria, 1983). Classical theory assumes that people are rational and engage in crime to minimize their pain and maximize their pleasure. Some criminologists, however, argue that many offenders are not rational and that crime is not in their self-interest. Rather, they engage in crime because of forces beyond their control and they often suffer greatly because of their behavior (Vold et al., 2002). Classical theorists state that whether people engage in crime is largely dependent on the swiftness, certainty, and appropriateness of the punishments they face. Cesare Beccaria Cesare Beccaria was an 18th century Italian nobleman and economist. Beccaria was considered to most the father of Criminology. Because of Beccarias work he was the most important figure head of what is known as the Classical Theory. The 18th century was times in history were severe and often extreme punishment was enforced for crimes committed. During such a time in history Beccaria offered the theory of utility. Beccaria examined the causes of delinquent and criminal behavior, and by doing so was able to scientifically determine what causes such deviant behavior. Beccaria rejected the theories of the European Enlightenment which characterized the deviant behavior under the theories of naturalism and even demonology. Beccaria wanted to pass on the philosophy of the Age of Enlightenment, by doing so these new theories passed on rationalism and humanitarianism (Martin et al., 1990). Beccaria set out to make punishment for committing crimes rational. He believed that there should be a hierarchy of punishment a scale determining what punishments is suitable for the behavior and/or intent. The scale of punishment would have set punishments for repeat offenders as well as for the more serious crimes. This would change how the death penalty was imposed. The scale of punishment, Beccaria was working on, would only impose the death penalty depending on the severity of the crime and not the act or acts of committing or involvement. Beccaria also believed that judges had to broad of discretion on which punishment to impose on what act of deviant behavior. Therefore, Beccaria favored specific punishments fitting each crime. He published an historic piece, An Essay on Crimes and Punishment, in 1764, to communicate his observations on the laws and justice system of his time. In the Essay, Beccaria distilled the notion of the social contract into the idea that laws are the c onditions under which independent and isolated men united to form a society. (Beccaria, 1983) Crime Preventions and Deterrence Deterrence theory most fully reflects the ideas of classical theory. Deterrence theorists argue that people are rational and pursue their own interests, attempting to maximize their pleasure and minimize their pain. They choose to engage in crime if they believe it is to their advantage. The best way to prevent crime, therefore, is through punishments that are swift, certain, and appropriately severe. Deterrence theorists, like classical theorists, focus primarily on the impact of official punishments on crime. Deterrence occurs when someone refrains from committing a crime because he or she fears the certainty, swiftness, and/or severity of formal legal punishment (Paternoster Bachman, 2001). Deterrence theory makes a distinction between two types of deterrence; specific and general. Specific deterrence refers to the idea that punishment reduces the crime of those specific people who are punished. So, punishing someone for a crime should reduce the likelihood of further crime by that person. Studies on general deterrence ask whether punishment deters crime among people in the general population. It has been argued that punishment may deter crime among those who are not punished. Therefore, deterrence through punishment is an effective way to prevent crime (Paternoster Piquero, 1995). Conclusion Throughout the essay classical theory, Cesare Beccaria, and deterrence has been explored in relation with one another. The manuscript disclosed that individuals are rational beings who pursue their own interests, trying to maximize their pleasure and minimize their pain. Classical theorist Cesare Beccaria determined that if the justice system reformed such as using rational penalties for crimes committed then such behavior could be deterred. The deterrence theory proved that people do refrain from committing crimes because of the fear of punishment. Therefore, the deterrence theory most fully reflects the ideas of classical theory.

Recycling Wealth in the Inner City Essay -- Essays Papers

Recycling Wealth in the Inner City INTRODUCTION The modern story of developed areas is a move from the inner city to the suburbs. This decentralization of metropolitan areas has left urban areas neglected. Such a transformation has had negative consequences, because it has inherently meant the abandonment of those left behind in urban centers. Furthermore, the issue is complicated by the fact that the distinction between those moving to the suburbs and those left behind has been defined largely by race. As Kain notes, â€Å"the means by which racial segregation in housing has been maintained are amply documented. They are both legal and extra-legal; for example: racial covenants; racial zoning; violence or threats of violence; preemptive purchase; various petty harassments; implicit or explicit collusion by realtors, banks, mortgage lenders, and other lending agencies; and, in the not-so-distant past, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and other Federal agencies† (Kain, pp289). Thus, a major issue exists in that not only is economic activity shifting from urban areas to suburbia, but minorities are being systematically left behind and delegated to the neglected inner cities. The repercussions of the increasing suburbanization go beyond merely restricted access to choice housing for minorities. Just as important as the housing market shift have been the movements of prime job markets and choice schooling to the suburbs (Jenks and Mayer). The combined loss of these three elements (housing, jobs, and schooling) has ensured a comprehensive disadvantage for minorities left in the inner city. Especially with regard to the black community, the result has been concentrated urban areas of black Americans livin... ...y in the United States, Washington, D.C., National Academy Press, 1990, pp187-222 Kain, John F., â€Å"Housing Segregation, Negro Employment and Metropolitan Decentralization† Mathew Edel and Jerome Rothenberg, pp288-307. Light, Ivan and Gold, Steven J. Ethnic Economies. San Diego: Academic Press. 2000 McFadden, Areaka (Department of Commerce) and Childs, Stephanie, (MBDA). â€Å"President Bush Announces Historic FY ’05 Funding Increase for Minority Business.† MBDA News. Tuesday, February 3rd, 2004. http://www.mbda.gov Sturdivant, Frederick D. (ed.). The Ghetto Marketplace. New York: The Free Press. 1969 Vietorisz, Thomas and Harrison, Bennet. The Economic Development of Harlem. New York: Praeger Publishers. 1970 www.blackwallstreet.org Yancy, Robert J. Federal Government Policy and Black Business Enterprise. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger Publishing Company.1974

Strategic Plan :: essays research papers

Partnerships Because public and private interests in downtown are so inextricably entwined, it is essential that all interested parties work cooperatively to identify and achieve shared objectives. Both public and private investments shape the character of the downtown environment – in terms of how it looks and how it functions. Only if these investments are coordinated can maximum benefits be obtained. When the Center City Commission initiated a strategic plan in 1999, it was responding to the recognized need for a collaborative planning process that both articulated long-range directions for Downtown Memphis and identified short-range action steps to help reach those goals. Two years later, the results of that effort are impressive. In addition to millions of dollars in private and public investment for capital projects, Downtown Memphis has managed to retain†¦ Also significant is the steady improvement in public perceptions of Downtown as measured in the survey conducted by the Center City Commission. While the progress has been considerable, challenges remain, and new trends and influences pose both opportunities and threats to continued prosperity for Downtown Memphis. In light of this, the 2002 Strategic Plan Update planning process was initiated for the purpose of re-examining the issues and priorities established in 1999 Strategic Plan and developing an action plan for the next five to seven years. The process of preparing the Revised Strategic Plan and fulfilling the aforementioned goals was heavily staff driven; but a number of groups were involved in the refinement of the work product and the adoption of the recommendations. Public Meetings throughout the City were held to give downtown stakeholders (property owners, business owners, developers, residents) the opportunity to share their visions and to review the proposed goals of the Center City Commission. In addition to the input from the public meetings, many interested citizens wrote letters to the Center City Commission and completed a survey that was placed on our website, www.downtownmemphis.com. Survey results---- The long-term goals for the development of the Central Business Improvement District reflect the public’s value of some very basic items, such as safety, transportation, usability, and appearance. The goals also reinforce the public’s appreciation of several major anchors within Downtown – the Riverfront, the Main Street Mall, center city neighborhoods, and cultural attractions—that make Memphis unique. A Thriving Central Business District Background on Economic Conditions†¦.(information off of our Fact Sheets) Housing Office Retail Quality of Life Tourism Sustaining Main Street Mall The single most important element in any downtown is its â€Å"Main Street,† the street where retail activity should be concentrated.

Education in Private and Public Schools Essay

Over the past years, there has been lots of interest among the policy makers to compare private and public elementary and secondary schools in the United States. In a sense, both private and public schools follow the same general goals set out in 1979. These goals as Sizer pointed out are expected to serve equally well both the American’s public and private elementary and high school (p. 349). These goals according to Sizer aimed to develop the students’ fundamental scholastic capacity and to make them competitive and responsible individual. Both the private and public are expected to come up with this end, and to touch most aspects of an adolescent’s existence, mind, body, values and career. Generally, as reported by Teresa Mendez in her article said that private schools had performed very satisfactory during the latest Standardized Test for scoring higher than public school. This report summarized the concept that private schools are getting more professional in performing their jobs. This report is very significant since America has set educational policies that are common for both public and private schools. Sizer had stated in his book â€Å"What High School Is† that despite America’s multi-diverse culture and decentralized school government, most schools across America are common in terms of vision or goals related to academic achievements of students. However, as one will look into Sizer’s discussion of similar circumstances and scenario inside a high school in California, he or she can notice some problems regarding students’ attitude and behavior inside and outside the classroom. In particular Sizer portrayed this concept through Mark who is a student who is bored and uninterested with school requirements. On the other hand, there are teachers and staffs who are busy with work and mindful of responsibility at home. These two parties are both elements that comprise education and yet, it seems that the academic goals or vision are not emphasized. This is because; Mark being a recipient of the knowledge appeared to be passive and stubborn since knowledge is somehow undesirable on his view, while teachers and staff are not good mover or instruments of those knowledge. This concept presented by Sizer is common in America, and he seems trying to reconcile the educational goals with proper implementation by adapting some changes in terms of school policy. To better understand this, it is important to analyze the school system in America and how it tries to meet the present needs of the educational system of America, as well as its impact to the existing scenario in most schools. Given the same objective, we can expect less difference although we may expect much similarity between public and private high school education. But studies conducted by the National Center for Education Statistic showed that there are many differences in the public and private education. They explained that although the central goal of education is the same with public and private but both can freely choose objectives and goals related to what has been set up by the government (p. 7). This means that, each school has freedom to set objectives and goal, yet, all of them should match the overall goals of the central government. These goals are directed towards the fundamental academic achievements, career and economic competence, citizenship and civil responsibility, aesthetic awareness and cultural diversity of the students (Sizer, p. 349 – 350). In general, education in America as they view it should cater to the growth and development of individual for the country’s fundamental advancement whether in public or in private schools. It is evident in most schools in America that even though, private and public schools follow through same principles in terms of educational system, and yet, they are differ in many ways from curriculum to policies. The findings of the study done by the National Center for Education Statistic reveals that majority of the public school have curriculum with emphasis on basic literacy and reading skills as their most important goal, while private schools chose to put priority on religious development of their students (p. 8). However, other results of analysis and studies of NCES showed that faculties in public schools are more professional than those in the private school as public school uses a full range of professional living requirements. The article published by the NCES entitled â€Å"Teacher Professionalization and Teacher Commitment: A Multilevel Analysis† noted that teachers in public school are required to have a substantive training in areas of specialization, complete accredited training program, and passage of examination (p. 25). Whereas teachers in private schools, the report appears to be less professional on many ways (p. 25). The report also cited that there is more turnover of teachers in private schools than in public schools. This indicates that public school have more stable teaching force than the private school as public school teachers are receiving much higher salaries which is one of the important factor for teacher to stay in their work. Aside from that, the article noted that private school teachers receive inferior salaries that cause high turn over on the part of private schools. Thus, the report shows that despite the privileges and benefits received by teachers in public school, these teachers have shown lesser commitment as compared to teachers in private schools. In comparison, neophyte teachers from private and public school have greater commitment than those in senior level or those teachers receiving higher salary (p. 26-27). Other factors associated with increase in commitment in teachers according to study are: high-end-of career salary and individual autonomy for teachers. The professionalization and commitment of teachers affect so much the credibility of education imparted to students. Policies implemented in the school system certainly affect the general performance of the school. The goal which the school is heading have influenced not only on the teachers but among the student as well. Roelande Hofman said that studies have shown that private schools have a positive effect on academic achievement (p. 119). Hofman pointed out that private school have the freedom to the kind of students they want to enroll and kick out students who display behavior that violates their own set of rules. Because of this autonomy, it gives the private school authority to reject or to accept students which the public school had only limited autonomy (p. 19). On students and parents preference, private school seemed to attract more because of selection policy. Hofman noted that in public school, the diversity of students’ background as the individual characteristic of students home environment affect with the school. It means that the behavior and conduct of students in school affects the general performance of the school in the areas of character and conduct as Sizer has portrayed in his book, many of the students seemed to have lost appetite to seriously search and acquire knowledge through schooling. In fact, students’ activities inside the campus appeared to be unmonitored by the school authorities as students can transact illegal drugs inside the school premises. Whereas in private school, students activities are daily monitored and any unacceptable manner or any violation of the given rules would easily be met with either warning or punishment. The issue is that the student feels more responsible to study well as they carry in themselves the pride that they there among other students like them who are truly sincere in their study. In general, it appears that though the teachers in the public school have a much better salaries and benefit systems and are more stable in their position compared to their peers in the private schools, yet private school teachers are more committed in their work than teachers in the public school. Second, the policy and goals and vision seem to work well in the private school despite of the fact that teachers in the public school are more professional and more trained and more fitted to work because of the specialization in the field they are handling. Third, that despite of the fact that teachers in private school are less qualified in the position given the requirements required for a public school teacher, yet private school appeared to be preferential choice of parents and students for one more reason disciplined. The similarities between public and private have been quite obvious in the levels of commitment of female teachers than their male counterpart. Both the public and private teachers reflect that female teachers are slightly committed than their male counter part. The article cited that those who are more experienced teachers have less commitment than those new ones which is the same with the private schools. Aside from this, there was not much given similarities between the public and private school. In fact, some authors were even exaggerated to express that what is between public and private are distinct difference in all aspect. Thus, the similarities given were limited only in comparison of male and female teacher in the public as well as in the private school.

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 9

â€Å"Nice glow,† Bastien told me when he answered the door the following afternoon. â€Å"Yeah. Tell me about it.† I traipsed into his house wearing the Tabitha body, and pulled up a stool at his kitchen counter. He handed me a Mountain Dew from the refrigerator. â€Å"Why so glum? Couldn't have been all that bad.† â€Å"It was okay. In that sleazy, backroom sort of way. Seth came over afterward and couldn't stop telling me how pretty I was.† â€Å"Of course he did.† Bastien was sporting a glow of his own today. â€Å"How could he help it? He's a weak mortal, just like they all are.† I ignored the jibe and took down half the can in one gulp. â€Å"On the topic of ‘weak mortals,' how'd your football game go?† â€Å"Ridiculously boring. Bill must have fantastic speech writers because his conversation is on the same level as that cupboard's over there. But, on the bright side, I did talk to Dana several times, and I think I repaired the damage you did.† â€Å"Ye gods, will you get over this? I didn't do anything. You have no one to blame for that but yourself.† â€Å"Hey, I didn't fall down the stairs. Anyway, I took your advice and played sympathetic brother. She really seemed to go for it. Except†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Except what?† He frowned, blue eyes perplexed. â€Å"She seems to like me well enough. She asks about my job, she asks about you. But something's weird. I just don't feel like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Like she's going to throw herself at you any time soon? Huh. I never would have guessed.† His expression hardened, doubts banished. â€Å"It's just a matter of time, that's all. Like that convent in Brussels. Remember how well that turned out?† I grinned. â€Å"Just a matter of time. Sure. So what are your plans today?† â€Å"Nothing. I'll probably go out later, but now I'm just sort of hanging around. Mitch is supposed to be at work, after all.† â€Å"Well, let's sneak you out and go see a movie or something.† Frankly, I was eager to do something semi-fun. I had finally made it to my day off, and it hadn't come a moment too soon. The only thing that bothered me was not knowing what had happened at the bookstore when – or rather if – Doug came in this morning. If Warren or Paige had been around, they might have banned him for a while. But I certainly didn't have that power, and I hated to lose the coverage anyway. I'd finally resorted to calling Janice, telling her to ring my cell immediately if there were any repeat problems. I hadn't heard anything so far. Bastien allowed himself grudging interest in a movie. â€Å"Anything good playing?† The doorbell rang before we could check. â€Å"Geez, Bas. It's like Grand Central Station whenever I'm here.† â€Å"Probably a Jehovah's Witness,† he decided, checking out the door invisibly. â€Å"Huh. It's Jody. Wonder what she wants.† I supposed Dana visiting would have been more serendipitous, but I found Jody's presence a relief. â€Å"Well, let her go. You're supposed to be at work.† He nudged me. â€Å"You answer.† â€Å"Me?† â€Å"Sure. Make up some reason to be here. She's chummy with Dana. You can do some reconnaissance.† â€Å"Oh, for goodness – â€Å" The doorbell rang again, and Bastien looked at me pleadingly. I had a good opinion of Jody, but I didn't like him mixing me up in his affairs. Grumbling, I went to the door. Maybe she was just dropping off more baked goods or something, I thought. Her face burst into a grin upon seeing me. â€Å"I was hoping it was you! I thought I recognized the Passat.† I smiled back at her. â€Å"Good memory. Did you need Mitch? He's at work.† â€Å"No, not really. I just saw the car and wanted to say hi. Are you hanging out here?† â€Å"Uh, yeah. It's my day off, and I promised him I'd†¦do some yard work.† Bastien, hovering invisibly nearby, got a kick out of that. â€Å"It's a great day for it,† she agreed. I supposed it was, in that crisply sunny sort of way that sometimes shows up in winter. At least we had no rain today. â€Å"What were you going to do? It looks like the lawn service took care of most of the leaves.† That it had. I tried to think of something superfluous that suburbanites wouldn't have already underpaid someone else to do. â€Å"I was going to plant some flowers.† â€Å"Oh!† She clasped her hands together, brown eyes alight. â€Å"That's a great idea. Do you want some help?† â€Å"Uh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Beside me, Bastien nearly had a seizure. He nodded his head vigorously and mouthed the word reconnaissance. Yard work was the last thing I wanted to do on my day off, but now I'd gone and boxed myself in. â€Å"Sure. I don't really know what to do anyway.† That had to be the understatement of the year. â€Å"Let me grab my coat, and we'll go to my favorite nursery,† she squealed. â€Å"This is going to be fun.† She dashed back to her house, and I glared at Bastien. â€Å"I hate you.† â€Å"Don't I know it.† He clapped me on the back. â€Å"I'm sure you have a green thumb somewhere, Fleur . If not, you can shape-shift one.† â€Å"You owe me. Big time.† Jody drove us to some gardening place that looked like a maze of greenery to me. Actually, greenery wasn't quite the right word. Many of the trees and plants had lost leaves, turning brown and yellow as winter deepened. A maze of vegetation, I guess. â€Å"They're still alive,† she told me, assessing plants with an expert eye. â€Å"Although, this isn't exactly the best time to do plantings. Still, we should be able to manage something since the ground isn't too hard yet.† I grimaced. â€Å"Sounds dirty.† She laughed. â€Å"How'd you get slated for this?† â€Å"My brother doesn't†¦always think things through. And he's pretty persuasive when he wants to be.† And annoying. And pushy. â€Å"I can see that. He's pretty cute too. Bet he gets women to do anything he wants.† â€Å"You have no idea.† This made her smile again. â€Å"Well, hang in there. Once you get started with this kind of stuff, you get into it. And it's not that dirty. You want dirty, I'll tell you about Guatemala someday.† â€Å"When were you in Guatemala?† Whoa. Somehow I managed her circle picking places like Malibu and Paris for vacations. â€Å"When I was in the Peace Corps.† â€Å"You were in the Peace Corps?† â€Å"Yup. When I was younger.† I stared after her as she continued checking out the selection. Jody had been in the Peace Corps and worked as an art teacher. She was clearly talented creatively. She was smart and had a good personality. How the hell had she gotten mixed up with Dana? We ended up buying several plants she called Christmas Roses, plus some bulbs she warned might or might not come up in the spring. Once back at Bastien's, we bundled up in coats and gloves and set to digging in his front yard. I saw him peek out the window and wave at me at one point; I stuck my tongue out at him when Jody wasn't looking. Jody was only too happy to tell me about her past. I'd ask the occasional clarifying question, and she'd then go on for a while more. I listened, commenting occasionally, and – as much as I hated to admit it – found the afternoon passing pleasantly. She had been right: garden work wasn't so bad once you started. Inevitably, her chatter turned to the CPFV, and she both surprised and relieved me by admitting some discontent. â€Å"I mean,† she was saying, â€Å"I stand by them. Absolutely. It's just sometimes, I wish we were doing things in different ways. â€Å" I looked up, happy to take a break from hacking at the hard ground. â€Å"What kinds of things?† She pursed her cute lips together. â€Å"I guess†¦like†¦we spend a lot of time telling people what to do and what not to do, you know? Like we're trying to help them lead better lives, and I think that's good. After all, Dana says an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.† Ugh. Clich? ¦ anyone? â€Å"But I also wish we were doing something for those that need help now. Do you know how many families in this area don't have enough to eat? It'd be great if we could work with local food banks to do something about that – especially with the holidays coming up. Or like†¦we do a lot to help teens make smart choices, but I visited some shelters for girls that are already in trouble. They've run away. They're pregnant. Dana says they're lost causes, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You don't think so?† I asked gently. She had stopped digging too and stared absentmindedly at the bulb she held. â€Å"I don't think anyone's beyond help. But Dana†¦I mean, she's so smart. She knows more than me about this stuff. I trust what she says.† â€Å"Nothing wrong with questioning.† â€Å"Yeah, I suppose. It's just, well, she's been a good friend to me.† Her eyes focused on something not here, something far away and long ago. â€Å"A couple years ago, Jack and I had some, you know, problems. I mean, it happens right? No relationship's perfect.† â€Å"No,† I agreed grimly. â€Å"Anyway, she helped me work through that. I feel sort of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Obligated?† Jody fumbled. â€Å"I-I don't know. I guess so. Sometimes, she's hard to know†¦like she can surprise you with things you never saw coming. Other times†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She shook her head and gave a nervous laugh. â€Å"I don't know what I'm saying. She's wonderful. The most amazing person I've ever met. She does so much good.† She changed the subject abruptly after that, and I let her. We moved on to happier topics, and I found myself laughing along with her and enjoying her company. At one point, I ran into Bastien's kitchen and made us hot chocolate. We drank it outside as we finished the last of our plants, finally sitting back and admiring our handiwork. Despite my initial misgivings, I kind of liked accomplishing something so tangible. â€Å"Look,† said Jody. â€Å"Dana just came home.† Sure enough, Dana's Explorer pulled in next door, and a moment later, the woman herself strolled over. She graced us with one of those ice-bitch smiles. â€Å"This looks cozy.† Jody's earlier bubbly nature seemed somewhat diminished. â€Å"Tabitha needed some gardening help, so I came over.† â€Å"Wasn't that nice of you.† Dana gave the other woman a look I couldn't interpret, save that disapproval and possibly anger underscored it. Although I had been arguing to the contrary with Bastien, I got the feeling I might truly have pissed off Dana more than I'd suspected, creating the bad impression he kept accusing me of. It looked like Dana may even have voiced her opinions of me to Jody. I watched Jody's face pass through a range of emotions. I felt pretty confident there was more iron in there than her surface showed, and for a half a second she looked as though she might lash out in defiance. Then, after a moment's eye contact, she looked away, backing down. Perhaps I should have simpered just then and tried to weasel into Dana's good graces, but mostly I felt angry at what I perceived as her chastisement. She had no right to do that Jody. â€Å"It was incredibly nice,† I said sharply. â€Å"Jody's one of those rare, honestly good people in the world. Not just one who pretends to be. But of course you already know that.† Jody blushed furiously, and the edges of Dana's smile twitched a little. â€Å"Yes. Yes, she is. How's your ankle doing?† â€Å"Good as new.† â€Å"Glad to hear it.† We all waited in awkward silence. I decided I would wait out Dana this time, no matter how scary that stare. She, of course, was a master of waiting, so it wasn't a surprise when Jody was the one who cracked. Honestly, I couldn't blame her. â€Å"Well. Jack should be home soon. I should get going.† I stood up with her and helped her gather the tools. We all exchanged a few more stiff remarks, then parted ways. â€Å"What happened? What happened?† exclaimed Bastien when I came back inside. â€Å"I saw Dana out there.† â€Å"Nothing new. Jody's a saint; Dana's a bitch. I hope you hurry up and get this done with.† â€Å"Damn it, I'm trying! I don't suppose you found out anything useful?† â€Å"Not really†¦although, I think Jody knows something about Dana. Something juicy enough even for you. She wouldn't tell me exactly what.† The incubus clung to this piece of information like a dog with a bone. â€Å"You've got to find out what! Call her up tomorrow. Take her to lunch.† â€Å"Jesus, Bastien. I like her, but I'm not doing your work for you. This is your show, remember? Besides, I do have a life, you know. â€Å" He scowled. â€Å"That's up for debate.† â€Å"Why are you so worked up about this Dana thing anyway? I mean, I'd love to see her fall, but the way you're acting†¦I don't know. It's totally pushing you over the edge.† â€Å"Why shouldn't I be worked up? Just because you don't play the soul game anymore doesn't mean the rest of us don't have an eye on our careers.† I knew Bastien too well not to suspect there was some other reason we were fighting all the time. â€Å"And that's all it is, huh? Just good old-fashioned American work ethic?† â€Å"Yes,† he said stiffly. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with that.† We locked matching Hunter gazes, and I tried to let him know with my eyes that I knew there was more than he was telling me. He stared stonily back, refusing to open up. At last, I shook my head, not wanting to be drawn into any more fighting. â€Å"Mind if I use your hot tub?† I asked instead. He gestured toward the back patio. â€Å"Sure. Have the run of the house. Use me and go.† â€Å"You're being childish.† Not answering, he went off to watch TV. I let myself out through the patio and flipped open the hot tub's lid. Hot steam poured out, and I sighed with pleasure. It felt downright decadent after being out in the cold all day. Glancing around, I took in the vine-covered privacy trellises. There were three of them with a person-sized gap between each one. Dusk was rapidly giving way to darkness, and I felt pretty obscured from the neighbors. I stripped off my clothes and tentatively put a foot in the tub. Hot. Very hot. I yanked it out, then waited a minute before trying again. Slowly, I eased the rest of me in, bit by bit. When I was finally submerged from the neck down, I exhaled happily and leaned my head back against the edge. Fantastic. I kicked on the bubbles and closed my eyes. Suddenly, I found myself able to forget it all. Doug. The guy from the club. Dana. Seth. Well, maybe not Seth entirely. But I could forget the bad things, at least. When my hair had curled from the steam and sweat was rolling down my forehead, I stood up and sat on the tub's edge, letting the air dry me off. A lot of people don't understand outdoor hot tubs, but I preferred them to indoor ones. Nothing can match that temperature change. Once cooled, I sat back in the water, ready to repeat the process. I could have done this all night and been perfectly happy. I'd only been back in the water a few minutes when I heard a twig snap from somewhere nearby. It was like a bad-horror-movie clich? ¦, butterrifying nonetheless. I shot out of the water, splashing everywhere, scrambling over the side as I heard a rustle of leaves and brush. â€Å"Bastien!† I yelled, running back into the house. He tore into the room, face pale and alarmed. â€Å"What's the matter?† I backed away from the patio, pointing. â€Å"There's someone out there. â€Å" Nothing could really hurt me, of course, but being immortal does not relieve a person of instinctual fear and caution. There'd be time to feel embarrassed about girly behavior later. His eyes cut to the patio, and he moved outdoors without any hesitation to look around. My knight. I waited in the kitchen, dripping water onto the wood floor, my heart still thumping. He returned a few minutes later and shook his head. â€Å"There's nothing out there. You imagined it.† â€Å"No. It was there. I heard it.† â€Å"Then it was an animal.† He suddenly smirked. â€Å"Or maybe Reese getting a thrill.† When I didn't laugh at the joke, he approached and pulled me to him, unconcerned about getting his clothes wet. My body trembled against his. â€Å"It's all right,† he murmured. â€Å"You're okay. You're safe.† He pulled off his blazer and wrapped it around me. It was too big, but it felt wonderful. I huddled against him, still too fazed to shape-shift some more substantial clothing on. â€Å"Come on, Fleur .You know I'm here. You know I won't let anything happen to you.† The animosity we'd built from our fight went away, and suddenly we were back to normal again. He took me upstairs to his bedroom, still keeping his arm around me. I shape-shifted dry as we walked and turned back into my Georgina self. Changing into his usual shape as well, he pulled me down to the bed with him so my head rested on his chest. A lot of immortals don't understand the way incubi and succubi relate to each other. We tend to touch a lot, in ways that are small but still intimate by most standards. I'd been accused many times of being sexually involved with Bastien – or someone else – over the years. Yet the truth was that in all of our time together, he and I had never actually had anything romantic happen. We were close, physically and emotionally, but that came from friendship, nothing more. Because honestly, when you spent most of your existence giving complete strangers access to your body, it seemed stupid not to enjoy physical bonding with those you actually cared about. And again, by physical bonding, I just meant small things, not even those that resulted in orgasm or a PG rating. Petting. Stroking. Massaging. Kissing here and there. They were all signs of closeness. We needed them, I think, to keep ourselves sane with the way we lived. And there was a certain comfort to knowing that in doing this, the other person got exactly the same thing in return. I could not have had such an equitable emotional relationship if I'd sought a similar physical exchange with, say, Hugh or the vampires. It would have meant something different to them. Which was why I could lay there in Bastien's bed, half naked, with my body twisted around his. We laughed under the blankets, reminiscing about past times when we had to sleep in similar – but less comfortable – ways. Ship cabins. Narrow boardinghouse beds. Campsites along country roads. Then too, we'd huddled together for warmth and security. I ended up spending the whole night with him. He held me the entire time in as gentlemanly a way as Seth might have. But with Bastien, I didn't toss and turn with worry all night over what damage one careless touch might do. It was the best night of sleep I'd had in weeks. When I returned home the next day, I called Seth and asked him if he'd been at the bookstore yesterday. He verified that he had and that Doug had behaved himself. â€Å"He was kind of goofy and chipper but nothing like that day.† â€Å"Good. I hope that's the end of it.† There was an awkward pause, and then Seth asked, too casually: â€Å"Were you out again last night? I called you pretty late and didn't get an answer. â€Å" â€Å"Oh, yeah. I stayed at Bastien's all night.† â€Å"Oh.† Silence. â€Å"It's not what you think,† I hastily assured him. â€Å"We just slept. Perfectly platonic. Just like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You and me?† Silence. â€Å"Nothing happened. He's like a brother to me. Honest. He's the last person you should be jealous of.† â€Å"I'm not jealous. Not exactly. But if you say it's nothing, then it's nothing. I didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you of lying. I know you wouldn't do that.† I thought about oral sex at the dance club and my bare skin pressed against Bastien's. I might not lie, but I didn't always tell Seth the whole truth either. A few days later, Seth and I went to another Nocturnal Admission concert. Doug and I had worked together all week in a civil manner, if not exactly a friendly one. Seth picked me up at my place and again could only stare in wonder at my appearance. I'd gone out hunting with Bastien last night – against my better judgment – and had taken another victim. The glamour hadn't quite diminished yet, and I would have looked hot even in a burlap bag. So, I suppose wearing the kind of dress I did was just outright mean. It was a little slip of a dress in gray cotton jersey, with a ribbon threaded around it that tied just under my breasts. The thin-strapped, V-necked top showed lots of cleavage; the skirt hung soft and drapey to just above my knee. It was like a winter sundress. Seth put his arms around me and nuzzled my neck. â€Å"You never fail to surprise me. I always think I know what to expect with you. Then I actually see you, and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He couldn't finish, but his eyes did it for him. They slid up and down my body, making my insides melt. Throw me on the bed and take me, I begged silently. Out loud I said, â€Å"We should get going.† At the concert, Nocturnal Admission performed as spectacularly as last time. Their following had increased, and people packed every square inch of the place. I had trouble seeing the stage but could hear every golden note. Fortunately, I got to see plenty of Doug later. The venue had let him use the place for another wild, post-concert party. Adoring women – and several men – clung flirtatiously to him and the other band members. Doug hugged me when he saw me, arranged for someone to make me a decent drink, and acted as though nothing had happened between us. I guessed I was glad to set aside the hard feelings, but now that I knew what to blame his behavior on, his bright and wild demeanor unnerved me. Casey showed up at one point, still looking a bit gaunt, but obviously on the mend. From across the room, I watched her tentatively approach Alec. He'd been talking to Wyatt the guitar player and turned to give her an obviously forced and fake smile. I couldn't hear the conversation, but the message came through loud and clear. She wanted to talk to him, to get his attention in some way, and he was blatantly snubbing her. I could see him shaking his head as she spoke, an almost desperate look on her face. Finally, he simply walked away, leaving her staring and upset. â€Å"I want to go over there and punch him,† I told Seth. â€Å"No, you don't. It's their business, not yours.† I turned on him. â€Å"Damn it, Seth! How can you always be so placid and nonconfrontational? Don't you stand up for anything?† He regarded me coolly. If he was surprised or offended by my outburst, he didn't show it. â€Å"I stand up for plenty of things. I just know when to pick my battles, that's all. So should you.† â€Å"You realize he slept with her and then turned around and dropped her cold. He may have even used sinister ways to do it.† â€Å"Believe me, I'm not condoning that, but Casey's got to be the one to say something. Otherwise, it's just you making accusations and starting a scene.† I scowled, half agreeing with him but still wishing I could help. Looking around, I couldn't see her anymore, which was probably just as well. With any luck, she'd gone home and would swear off the company of men for a while. Seth left for the bathroom, and almost the moment he was gone, Alec sidled up. â€Å"Hey, Georgina. You look hot.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said. I angled my body away, hoping he'd get the signal I wasn't interested. He was lucky I didn't just turn around and deck him. â€Å"You're, like, the best-looking woman in here tonight.† Whether that was actually true or not, I knew the life-force surplus made me the most attractive. There was a difference. Eyeing Alec, I suddenly toyed with the idea of returning his flirtation and sleeping with him. I rather liked the idea of seeing him sprawled out unconscious and sick somewhere. Nah. On second thought, considering he was such a sleazebag, I probably wouldn't steal enough energy to do much more than wind him. â€Å"You drinking those vodka gambits again?† he asked, still pushing the act. â€Å"Gimlets,† I corrected. â€Å"Well, the bar can make anything if you want something different. And there's weed everywhere. I think I saw Corey with acid too.† This guy just couldn't stop trying to fuck women over. He didn't care how he did it. Seth showed up just then, and I turned to him with a dazzling smile. â€Å"Nice talking to you Alec,† I said breezily, taking Seth's arm. â€Å"See you around.† â€Å"What was that about?† asked Seth, once we were out of earshot. â€Å"That asshole was trying to pick me up again. Right after turning away Casey. God, I hate him. He was trying the usual stuff too. Trying to push more drinks on me. Telling me how hot I was.† Seth leaned his face toward mine. â€Å"You are hot.† â€Å"Stop that. You're giving me funny ideas.† He continued holding me close. I really needed to wait two days before seeing him after a fix. â€Å"Ever wonder how far I could kiss you on the lips?† he asked. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Well, I can somewhat substantially kiss your cheek and neck, right? Your lips though†¦well, those have to be quick, brushing kind of kisses. Too much intensity and tongue with your mouth is right out. So, I figure there must be a middle ground.† â€Å"Have you been drinking?† â€Å"Just thinking, that's all.† The rapture from my glow was reflected in his face. Forgetting about anyone we knew seeing us, I let him lean his mouth toward my own. Ever so gently, his lips touched mine. Not a family-type slip of a kiss, nor a saliva-exchanging deep kiss either. It was like a caress. His lips slowly stroked my lips, his tongue just barely tracing the contours of my mouth. Electricity ran from my head to my toes and tried to run back up again, but it got delayed between my legs. Seth stepped away. â€Å"Anything bad happen?† â€Å"No,† I breathed. â€Å"But I think we need to conduct several repeat experiments, just to make sure.† Suddenly, from across the room, we heard whoops and cheers, followed by a terrific crashing sound and gasps of alarm. Without conscious communication, Seth and I moved as one to see what had happened. Doug lay in a heap on the floor in front of the stage, laughing hysterically. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked Corey. His eyes were heavily dilated, and I remembered Alec saying the bass player had acid. â€Å"It's a new Olympic sport. Stage-table High Jumps.† Following his gaze, I saw a table set up on the stage. About fifteen feet away, on the floor by Doug, was an overturned table. I looked back and forth. â€Å"Did he try to jump from that table to that one?† Corey cackled. â€Å"Sure did. Shit. He almost made it. Caught the edge on his way down.† â€Å"He could have broken his leg,† muttered Seth in disgust. â€Å"Or worse.† Doug seemed to be okay. Some solicitous women in tight shirts were helping him stand. He caught my eye and laughed harder. â€Å"Don't look so panicked, Kincaid. I'm fine†¦but if you want to make sure, you can come kiss me too and make it all better.† He winked at Seth, and others laughed with him, without knowing why. I was soon forgotten as more adoring people swarmed in. Seth and I retreated. â€Å"What was he thinking?† I fretted. â€Å"I mean, he's always doing crazy acrobatic stuff on stage, but he had to have known he couldn't make that.† â€Å"If he's not thinking straight, there's no telling what he believes. Drugs,ll do that. Give you a sense of invincibility.† I reminded myself to look up those drug names Cody had suggested. I didn't know if it'd do any good, but it'd at least make me think I was doing something. â€Å"Hey,† I exclaimed, pulling Seth to an abrupt stop. â€Å"It's him again.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"That guy talking to Alec. The weird gothic, male-model-type guy.† Seth followed my gesture. Way on the other side of the place, near the bar, Alec and the man I'd seen at the earlier concert were having a heated argument. The GQ-poet guy looked stern and cold tonight, dampening his otherwise suave and polished looks. Alec had a pleading look. The drummer gesticulated frantically, his face desperate and frightened. The other man shook his head sternly, face unyielding. He waved a hand toward the crowd and then said something to Alec. Alec's face paled, and he once more turned into a pitiful supplicant. The other man shook his head yet again, then strode off. He didn't approach us exactly, but he had to move in our direction to reach the exit. He was still a good fifty feet away and separated by walls of people when an odd, prickly feeling touched my skin. It was strange and discordant, yet sleek at the same time. It was almost like what I'd felt around Doug and the band, except that had been unidentifiable. This was clearly a person's signature. It was linked to that man, pulsing with sentience. I choked out a strangled sound and quickly stepped back out of range. Pulling Seth with me, I threw my arms around him and kissed his neck. As I did, I watched out of the corner of my eye as the strange man froze and jerked his head around, looking out over the crowd. He had felt me too. His eyes passed over us several times, but we drew no especial focus. We were just another couple getting hot and heavy. I tensed, waiting for him to come closer and try to sense me again. Without knowing why, I didn't want him to find me. He scanned a bit longer before giving up and continuing his retreat. When he had left, I relaxed and leaned into Seth. â€Å"What†¦?† â€Å"That man that was talking to Alec,† I said, still in shock. â€Å"He's an immortal.† Seth's eyebrows rose. â€Å"Really? What kind? Angel? Demon?† â€Å"None of the above. He's not one of mine.† â€Å"What do you mean not one of yours?† â€Å"Not all immortals are part of the heaven and hell system. There are a lot of other creatures walking the world: nymphs, orisha, oni†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You do realize you've just thrust me into a theological quandary likely to keep me awake at night for years,† he joked. When I didn't answer, he turned serious. â€Å"Okay. So what kind was he?† I shook my head. â€Å"That's the thing. I don't know. I don't know what he was exactly.†